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Biomedicines
Special Issues
Approaches to Fight Microbial Infection-Related Biofilms
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Approaches to Fight Microbial Infection-Related Biofilms

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology in Human Health and Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 10135

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Leonardo Caputo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Sciences of Food Production, Italian National Council of Research, ISPA-CNR, Bari, Italy
Interests: microbiology; antimicrobials; antibiotic resistance; natural compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniela Zühlke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 8, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
Interests: microbial physiology; microbial pathogenicity; antibiotic resistance; microbial communities; (meta-)proteomics
Dr. Laura Quintieri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Sciences of Food Production, Italian National Council of Research, ISPA-CNR, Bari, Italy
Interests: food proteins; bioactive peptides; natural antimicrobials; biofilms; bacterial physiology; proteomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biofilms are structured communities of bacterial cells enclosed in an extracellular polymeric matrix (EPS) that can adhere to different kinds of surfaces. Biofilm formation is a complex process depending on many factors (environmental stresses, nutrients, surface forces) and coordinated through intra- and inter-cellular signaling systems, known as quorum sensing (QS). Most microbial infections are associated with the formation of biofilms; these infections generally become chronic due to their resilience to immune system, antibiotic, and other treatments. Thus, the prevention of biofilm formation or the reduction of existing biofilms in clinical settings is a critical element of effective care, and new treatment/therapeutic options are needed. In this regard, the clarification of molecular regulators, key metabolic pathways, and their spatial–temporal sequence in both the biofilm formation process and biofilm-based resistance to antimicrobials will allow progress in this area.

This Special Issue aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the role of the intricate underlying mechanisms of biofilm formation and their role in the pathogenesis and resistance of infections. Omics technologies are continuously offering new insights into the characterization of this issue. (Meta)genomics, (meta)proteomics, and metabolomics studies will help us to understand the microbial ecology of biofilm communities and are invited for publication in this Special Issue. Studies on the development of novel antibiofilm strategies, such as natural antimicrobials/QS inhibitors and their mechanism of action, or new technical applications, e.g., cold atmospheric plasma, will also be welcomed.

Dr. Leonardo Caputo
Dr. Daniela Zühlke
Dr. Laura Quintieri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • regulatory networks governing biofilms
  • antibiotic resistance
  • virulence
  • drug targets
  • omics technologies
  • quorum sensing
  • antibiofilm agents
  • natural antimicrobials

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3587 KiB  
Article
Complex Electromagnetic Fields Reduce Candida albicans Planktonic Growth and Its Adhesion to Titanium Surfaces
by Simonetta D’Ercole, Silvia Di Lodovico, Giovanna Iezzi, Tania Vanessa Pierfelice, Emira D’Amico, Alessandro Cipollina, Adriano Piattelli, Luigina Cellini and Morena Petrini
Biomedicines 2021, 9(9), 1261; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomedicines9091261 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2262
Abstract
This study evaluates the effects of different programs of complex electromagnetic fields (C.M.F.s) on Candida albicans, in planktonic and sessile phase and on human gingival fibroblasts (HGF cells). In vitro cultures of C. albicans ATCC 10231 and HGF cells were exposed to [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the effects of different programs of complex electromagnetic fields (C.M.F.s) on Candida albicans, in planktonic and sessile phase and on human gingival fibroblasts (HGF cells). In vitro cultures of C. albicans ATCC 10231 and HGF cells were exposed to different cycles of C.M.F.s defined as: oxidative stress, oxidative stress/antibacterial, antibacterial, antibacterial/oxidative stress. Colony forming units (CFUs), metabolic activity, cells viability (live/dead), cell morphology, filamentation analysis, and cytotoxicity assay were performed. The broth cultures, exposed to the different C.M.F.s, were grown on titanium discs for 48 h. The quantity comparisons of adhered C. albicans on surfaces were determined by CFUs and scanning electron microscopy. The C. albicans growth could be readily controlled with C.M.F.s reducing the number of cultivable planktonic cells vs. controls, independently by the treatment applied. In particular, the antibacterial program was associated with lower levels of CFUs. The quantification of the metabolic activity was significantly lower by using the oxidative stress program. Live/dead images showed that C.M.F.s significantly decreased the viability of C. albicans. C.M.F.s inhibited C. albicans virulence traits reducing hyphal morphogenesis, adhesion, and biofilm formation on titanium discs. The MTS assay showed no negative effects on the viability of HGF. Independent of the adopted protocol, C.M.F.s exert antifungal and anti-virulence action against C. albicans, no cytotoxicity effects on HGF and can be useful in the prevention and treatment of yeast biofilm infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Approaches to Fight Microbial Infection-Related Biofilms)
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15 pages, 3672 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Antibiofilm Potencies of Nervonic and Oleic Acid against Acinetobacter baumannii Using In Vitro and Computational Approaches
by Sagar Kiran Khadke, Jin-Hyung Lee, Yong-Guy Kim, Vinit Raj and Jintae Lee
Biomedicines 2021, 9(9), 1133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomedicines9091133 - 01 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2819
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen, and its biofilms are tolerant to desiccation, nutrient starvation, and antimicrobial treatment on biotic and abiotic surfaces, tissues, and medical devices. Biofilm formation by A. baumannii is triggered by a quorum sensing cascade, and we hypothesized that [...] Read more.
Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen, and its biofilms are tolerant to desiccation, nutrient starvation, and antimicrobial treatment on biotic and abiotic surfaces, tissues, and medical devices. Biofilm formation by A. baumannii is triggered by a quorum sensing cascade, and we hypothesized that fatty acids might inhibit its biofilm formation by interfering with quorum sensing. Initially, we investigated the antibiofilm activities of 24 fatty acids against A. baumannii ATCC 17978 and two clinical isolates. Among these fatty acids, two unsaturated fatty acids, nervonic and oleic acid, at 20 μg/mL significantly inhibited A. baumannii biofilm formation without affecting its planktonic cell growth (MICs were >500 μg/mL) and markedly decreased the motility of A. baumannii but had no toxic effect on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Interestingly, molecular dynamic simulations showed that both fatty acids bind to the quorum sensing acyl homoserine lactone synthase (AbaI), and decent conformational stabilities of interactions between the fatty acids and AbaI were exhibited. Our results demonstrate that nervonic and oleic acid inhibit biofilm formation by A. baumannii strains and may be used as lead molecules for the control of persistent A. baumannii infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Approaches to Fight Microbial Infection-Related Biofilms)
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Review

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18 pages, 2101 KiB  
Review
Preventing Biofilm Formation and Development on Ear, Nose and Throat Medical Devices
by Dan Cristian Gheorghe, Andrei Ilie, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu and Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Biomedicines 2021, 9(8), 1025; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomedicines9081025 - 16 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3467
Abstract
Otorhinolaryngology is a vast domain that requires the aid of many resources for optimal performance. The medical devices utilized in this branch share common problems, such as the formation of biofilms. These structured communities of microbes encased in a 3D matrix can develop [...] Read more.
Otorhinolaryngology is a vast domain that requires the aid of many resources for optimal performance. The medical devices utilized in this branch share common problems, such as the formation of biofilms. These structured communities of microbes encased in a 3D matrix can develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR), thus making it a problem with challenging solutions. Therefore, it is of concern the introduction in the medical practice involving biomaterials for ear, nose and throat (ENT) devices, such as implants for the trachea (stents), ear (cochlear implants), and voice recovery (voice prosthetics). The surface of these materials must be biocompatible and limit the development of biofilm while still promoting regeneration. In this respect, several surface modification techniques and functionalization procedures can be utilized to facilitate the success of the implants and ensure a long time of use. On this note, this review provides information on the intricate underlying mechanisms of biofilm formation, the large specter of implants and prosthetics that are susceptible to microbial colonization and subsequently related infections. Specifically, the discussion is particularized on biofilm development on ENT devices, ways to reduce it, and recent approaches that have emerged in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Approaches to Fight Microbial Infection-Related Biofilms)
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